Marvette Anderson (right), coach of the Queen's School, and senior centre Priscilla Thomas, at the Leila Robinson Courts, Independence Park, last Friday. Queen's are in the semi-finals of both the senior and junior sections of the ISSA/Digicel Corporate Area netball competition. - Ian Allen

Defending senior champions, the Queen's School, are through to the semi-finals of the ISSA/Digicel Corporate Area schoolgirls netball competition, after a pulsating 39-32 victory over St Hugh's High at the Leila Robinson Courts, National Stadium complex, yesterday afternoon.

With the win, Queen's ended on 12 points in Group Two, the same as St Catherine High and St Hugh's. Goal difference decided the top two, and St Catherine were eliminated. St Hugh's topped the group with Queen's in second.

With the knowledge that they could only advance with a win, a business-like Queen's, with national senior representatives Shamera Sterling, Khadijah Williams and Shanice Beckford, were in top form and led from start to finish. They led 12-7 at the first quarter and 29-25 at half-time.

Coach Marvette Anderson was elated after Queen's win.

"Getting to the semi-finals means a lot as the girls have worked hard all season. After suffering from jet-lag in their encounter with St Catherine, they came out with more purpose today as they knew it was a must-win situation for them, and they delivered," she said.

Despite losing, St Hugh's coach, Roy Pryce, was pleased with his team's effort.

"It was a very good game, as both teams are very good and we came out to win, but Queen's came out more purposeful," said Pryce. St Catherine trounced St Jago High 56-16, but that was not enough to put them in the last four.

Also advancing to tomorrow's senior semi-finals were St Andrew High and Holy Childhood. St Andrew High topped Group One with 13 points after beating Norman Manley High 42-24, while Holy Childhood finished second after stopping Ardenne High 34-13.

Queen's will meet St Andrew, while St Hugh's will face Holy Childhood in the semi-finals.

Queen's juniors also qualified for the semi-finals. The defending champions brushed aside Hydel 41-20 to top Group Two ahead of Tarrant, who were idle yesterday, as Bridgeport had earlier withdrawn from the competition.

Queen's will meet Camperdown in one semi-final, as Camper-down stopped Alpha 30-8 to finish second in Group One. The other semi-final will see Group One winners Norman Manley meeting Tarrant. Norman Manley ended with maximum 15 points after stopping Gaynstead 24-16.